Athletic Packets are available in the El Dorado High School front office and can be turned in for processing beginning Monday, Aug. 3 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The clearance packets include all the necessary paperwork to participate in El Dorado High athletics. Students who wait until the first day of school, which is Aug. 10, run the risk of not being able to participate that first day.

The adopted water agency budget comes in at a little more than $5 million. Operating expenses, including salaries, benefits, supplies and professional services make up $1.19 million; water projects carried out by the agency, including water rights, hydro development, watershed and conservation programs, make up a little more than $2 million; and cost share contributions and water supply projects for other water purveyors come to $1.3 million, including continued funds for the water rights project and cost share grants to other water purveyors.

EDWPA takes two

The EDWPA board first discussed its budget on July 15, but there were insufficient votes to pass it.

Those holding out against approval were Directors Alan Day and Greg Prada, who argued that spending money to pursue additional post 1914 water rights was in vain given current actions by the State Water Board, which has abrogated some water rights in light of the drought.

Instead Day advised the agency to pursue recycled water projects.

Prada reiterated his objections to what he said were faulty growth projections for the county that justify the need for additional water supplies. He also accused the legal team assisting the agency of being self-serving in assuring the district that its efforts before the State Water Board will be successful.

Director Ron Mikulaco, on the other hand, said he had difficulty voting for the budget when all his questions about the project hadn’t been answered even after two years. That led Director Mike Ranalli to ask him why he hadn’t bothered to set up a meeting earlier with the general manager and get those questions answered.

In the end, Prada and Day voted against the motion to approve the budget with Mikulaco abstaining. With only five other members present to vote yes, the motion failed to pass.

By law, the board had a July 20 deadline to approve a budget and the meeting was continued to that deadline day. With the full board in attendance and Mikulaco having met with the general manager in the interim about his questions, the motion to approve the budget finally passed.

Approved was an operating budget of $16,200 for EDWPA. In addition, approval was given to spending $2.4 million for the water rights project called the El Dorado Water Reliability Project. Revenue sources include member contributions of $937,500 from EDCWA, the El Dorado Irrigation District and El Dorado County; interest of $200; carryover funds of $1.1 million; and $400,000 in a contingency fund. Project expenses for the 2015-16 fiscal year include project development, a draft environmental impact report, engineering, legal and litigation support and contingency funds.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You are not your stuff. You are much more than your possessions. The feeling that you don’t need anything is the feeling of finally having arrived at fully being you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). For those who are texting, there are three little dots to signal that someone is texting back. Today, you have the psychic equivalent of three little dots. You’ll sense when others are trying to reach out to you.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). In some way, you will shape the leaders of the future today. So, in actuality, you are a leader of the future. You’ll take the role both seriously and with a sense of humor. That’s so you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). What about the people who try to pull one over on you just because it’s in the job description? Well, you’re smarter than that. You’ll resist coercion and be impervious to scam.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). The best solution won’t be the one you can buy. If you’re trying to buy it, just know that you’ll probably succeed in the transaction while losing the point of the transaction.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Build relationships. That’s the order of the day. If you’re talking about nonsense, it’s fine. This is not a waste of time. It’s what life for humans is made of. Talk about nonsense. It’s fine.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Your goal is becoming real. It’s now or never. Study will take you halfway. Once you’ve read up, apply what you’ve learned. Practice. Make a few mistakes. You’re almost there.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You have that mysterious “X” factor that keeps people buzzing about you. Put your talent to use. All you have to do is implement one change, and everything else will change, too.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Financial decisions should be made alone today. This will prevent you from wondering later whether the other person acted out of integrity or need. Make it so that you only have yourself to credit or blame.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Things don’t have to be bad for you to escape to an alternative universe. The fantasy world you create is a nice place to visit. Too bad you can’t get your mail there, or you might be tempted to live there full time.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Regardless of how sharp and correct your instincts may be, they will only help you if you act on them. In today’s case, the action must happen quickly. Feel it, and then do it.

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http://www.mtdemocrat.com/comics/horoscope-6/#commentsWed, 15 Jul 2015 17:22:19 +0000http://www.mtdemocrat.com/?p=550343ARIES (March 21-April 19). You’ll share your work, and that will help others. They’ll share with you, and that will help you. You won’t worry about anyone stealing what’s yours, and the seemingly unlikely result will be that no one will.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). There are distinct benefits to being plainspoken, if not unspoken. You’re so expressive that you can say everything with a look if you want to, and indeed that may be best.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). It will help to think of the passionate people around you as wild things. Read the signs and keep your distance until territorial behaviors cease. Wait until you sense the safety of calm neutrality.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You refuse to be troubled. It’s like you’ve poured a magical salve over your mind that catches all the little joys, allowing them to accumulate while the little disappointments slip into the cracks.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You needn’t always work so hard to make something good happen. Sometimes luck comes without effort — or, more likely, you put in the effort so long ago that you don’t remember doing it.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Efficiency is about dealing with people — not just schedules. Once you get people on your side, they’ll place a higher priority on your needs and your timeframe.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). When the people around you need a wakeup call, you’ll be the alarm clock. They may try to hit “snooze” — and don’t stress if they do. The important thing is that they were made aware.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Most shopping malls and casinos are purposely designed for visitors to get lost in them, thus spending more time and money than originally intended. Today seems similarly patterned to delight, distract and tempt you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Some remedies are more harmful than the disease. If the problem is not too dire, you’ll probably cure it by building on what’s going right, instead of trying to fix what’s wrong.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you think his or her habits and behaviors are always awesome. Your dilemma centers on knowing when to be quietly tolerant and when to speak up.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Your connection with creative people invites strange, interesting, glamorous and unusual scenarios. You’re more of an artist than you think you are. Your style will be influenced by all you see.

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http://www.mtdemocrat.com/comics/horoscope-5/#commentsWed, 15 Jul 2015 17:21:36 +0000http://www.mtdemocrat.com/?p=550335ARIES (March 21-April 19). The part of your life that is ailing will be healed by a routine, methodical approach. Take it slow and steady and commit to doing it daily over a long period of time — at least a month.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). As St. Francis of Assisi suggested, baby steps will lead to greatness. “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). What if you could listen so hard to another person that you could express that person better than he or she could? Those who listen well are liked. Those who listen masterfully are revered.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). There are times when distraction can be a great help. People who are experiencing something painful or frightening will glide through more easily with the help of a distraction. You’ll mercifully provide such a distraction today.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Psychic clearing is real. It can be felt, and it can make for an easier, lighter, healthier experience. Today’s best method for psychic clearing is simply to get what’s in your heart out in the open.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Rinse and repeat isn’t just for shampoo. Excellence may come in the form of a glorious action, but it is actually the result of habits. Practice daily. Don’t wait for the inspiration; just go.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Maybe you can have it all, but you can’t have it all at once. The key to feeling like you’ve had a successful day is in picking one thing to work on and working on it until it’s finished.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Even the most capable people require assistance sometimes. The more responsibilities a person has the more help he or she needs. You may be the only one who notices this, so don’t hesitate to lend a hand.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). The philosopher Nietzsche suggested that we are all in a flight from ourselves. Though this may be true, today’s journey will bring you round trip.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’ll probably have to make your own fun, but the extra effort will prove worthwhile. Your ebullient personality will attract new friends, interesting offers and perhaps a romantic hopeful.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Set aside your pride. Giving yourself a wide margin for error (especially in regard to bank accounts, projects and deadlines) will make life better and work enjoyable.